Yummy Yummy Chinese restaurant in Bayonne is one of the best, group says

Yummy Yummy on Broadway certainly lives up to its name, according to the Chinese Restaurant Foundation that listed them among the 100 best Chinese restaurants in the U.S.

The 413 Broadway restaurant has been in business for over 21 years. Qin Tan Li, 55, owner of Yummy Yummy has become a familiar face to the denizens of Broadway.

Only three New Jersey restaurants made the top 100 list, one from Bordentown and another from Maywood.

With a fixed smile, arms crossed and dressed in his black slacks, white T-shirt with the words Yummy Yummy printed across the front and his signature red hat, Li happily greets each customer.

"This is a happy place because of the customer service we provide," said Li. "The customers are like my family."

Li, practices simplicity and said he's been fortunate to stay in business because of his faithful customers.

"I only need a little bit to survive," said Li.

Yummy Yummy, welcomes its customers with a long corridor of wooden panels and a white wall that depicts classical Chinese art of the pastoral life. A mountain, a river, and a fisherman on his boat, were the images his wife Lin Li Sa created.

"She did the whole wall in less than two hours," said Li.

Lin said he was grateful to make the best restaurants list this year. He's been on the list for the last decade, and the certificate of last year was still up.

The staff of 5, work diligently with Li pacing back and forth from the busy kitchen checking up on the work.

Li credits the longevity of his business to living in Bayonne.

"I know every customer that walks in here," said Li. "That's important."

Overlooking the black counter top, photographs of Yummy Yummy's special dishes hang like tiles placed closely together along the wall.

Li noticed that Bayonne residents have favorites. The most popular are the boneless spare ribs, chicken wings, General Tso's chicken and fried dumplings.

Yummy Yummy's busiest days are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Li said Bayonne residents love the buffet special priced at $5.99.

When asked if he had a secret ingredient or signature recipe, Li leaned in and said, "We use our oil only once."

"Many places reuse the oil and that's not healthy for people," said Li. "I make sure our food is clean and as healthy as possible."

Li said in the restaurant business most owners care about making a quick profit and take shortcuts but that goes against Li's way of life.

In his youth he spent his days working on constructions sites while taking nutritional classes back in China. In 1991, he arrived to the states. Li said like most immigrants he worked his way from the kitchen to owner of his own business.

"I don't care so much about making money," said Li. "Life goes too fast as it is. If I can make people happy doing this, then I will continue to do it."

At Yummy Yummy, the simple wooden decor, the attentive customer service and the fresh food, has customers returning over and over again.